Hand-elevator for packages.



E. G. METHVIN.

HAND ELEVATOR FOR PACKAGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

ERNEST Gr. METHVIN, OF DEMING, NEW MEXICO.

HAND-ELEVATOR FOR PACKAGES.

oeaess.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed June 4, 1913. Serial No. 771,700.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST Gr. METI-IVIN, a citizen of the UnltedStates, residing at Deming, in the county of Luna and State of NewMexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in HanchElevators forPackages, of which the following is a specification.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient devicefor elevating or lowering packages from shelves and the like.

My invention is particularly adaptable for use in dry goods anddepartment stores where it is desired to readily remove or replacepackages on shelves which ordinarily are out of the reach of theoperator, and 1neludes a device of a simple and durable constructionwhich can be readily manipulated by the operator to accomplish thedesired result.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to theaccompanying drawings, constituting a part of this spec1- fication, inwhich similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in allthe views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device; Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryvertical longitudinal sectional view; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryvertical transverse sectional view.

Referring more particularly to the views, I provide a stem 10terminating at the lower end thereof in a suitable handle 11 and havingthe upper end thereof provided with a longitudinal transverse slot 12forming spaced guide portions 13 on the upper end of the stem. Rigidlysecured on the stem 10 a distance below the upper end thereof is astationary gripping member 14, and mounted to slide on the stem is agripping member 15, the said gripping members 14 and 15 beingsubstantially similar, with the gripping member 14 provided with a notch16 in the upper face thereof and the gripping member 15 provided with anotch 17 in the lower face thereof, the said notch being preferablyprovided in order that the gripping members can more readily grip anarticle therebetween, it being understood that the said gripping membersproject laterally from the stem 10, as shown. An eX- pansible helicalspring 18 is arranged to encircle the upper end of the stem 10, with thelower end of the spring bearing against the stationary gripping member 11 and the upper end of the spring bearing against the movable grippingmember 15.

A securing member 19, preferably made of a single piece of material, hasan end thereof passing transversely through the slot 12 in the upper endof the stem 10 and slidable between the guide portions 18, the lower endof the securing member 19 being bent partially around the stem 10, asshown, and provided with an eyelet 20 to which is attached a rod 21having pivotal connection with a bell crank lever 22 mounted to swing onthe stem 10 adjacent the handle 11 thereof. A cap 23 preferably coversthe upper end of the stem to close the upper end of the slot 12, thesaid cap being adapted to be engaged by the upper transversely extendingend of the securing member 19 to limit the upward movement of themovable gripping member 15.

In the use of the device described, when it is desired to remove apackage from the shelf, the same is grasped by the handle 11 andmanipulated so that an edge of the package will lie between thestationary and movable gripping members 1 1 and 15, after which adownward pull is exerted on the handle end of the bell crank lever 22,thus exerting a pull on the rod 21 and moving the movable grippingmember 15 downwardly on the stem 10 and against the expansible action ofthe spring 18, it being thus seen that the distance between the movableand stationary gripping members will be decreased and the movablegripping member will engage and grip the upper edge of the package, thusforcing the lower edge of the package into gripping engagement with thestationary gripping member and securing the package between the grippingmembers so that the operator can lower the device and then release thebell crank lever in order to remove the package from between thegripping members, it being understood that at the moment thebell cranklever 22 is released the expansible action of the spring 18 will returnthe movable gripping member 15 to normal position on the stem 10.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the device describedconsists of few and simple parts and that it does not require anyparticular skill or strength in order to properly manipulate the devicefor the purpose mentioned heretofore.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a stem, of astationary gripping member thereon, a movable gripping member slid-ablysupported on the stem, a spring encircling the stem and interposedbetween the said members, with one end of the spring abutting againstthe stationary member, a securing member slidable 0n the stem and havingconnection with the movable gripping member for actuating the same, withthe other end of the spring abutting against the said securing member,and means carried by the stem for actuating the securing member.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a stem of astationary gripping member thereon, a movable gripping member slidablysupported on the stem, a spring encircling the stem and interposedbetween the said members, with one end of the spring abutting againstthe stationary member, a securing member slidable on the stem and havingconnection with the movable gripping member for actuating the same, withthe other end of the spring abut-.

ting against the said securing member, means carried by the stem foractuating the securing member, a lever mounted to swing on the stem, anda rod having connection with the lever and slidably passing through therod and the gripping member to connect with the securing member andactuate the same.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a stem, of astationary gripping member thereon, a movable gripping member mounted toslide on the stem, a securing member operable in a longitudinal slot ofthe stem and having connection with the movable gripping member, a levermounted to swing on the stem, and a rod havingconnection with the leverand slidably passing through the rigid gripping member to connect withthe securing member for actuating the same when the said lever isactuated.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST Gr. lilETHVTN.

WVitnesses THOMAS R. TAYLOR, ANNA WV. TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained, for five cents each, li yaddressing the Commissioner of ratents,

Washington, D. G.

